


A Grey Dawn

by BlotOutMyName



Series: The New Intern [5]
Category: Batman - All Media Types, Gotham (TV)
Genre: Gen, Hugs, Return to Gotham, Revenge, post-S3E14
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-07
Updated: 2017-08-14
Packaged: 2018-09-22 18:25:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,075
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9619724
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlotOutMyName/pseuds/BlotOutMyName
Summary: Harley Quinzel returns to Gotham after the death of Carl Pinkney, unaware of the events that have unfolded in her absence.





	1. Return

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! Just a little chapter to start. 
> 
> I just finished the midseason finale and had to write something!

Harley reached the landing, legs burning. Why he had to live in a fifth-floor apartment with a broken elevator was beyond her. How he himself could get up those stairs every day was even further beyond her. She walked down the hall, not bothering to check the flat numbers. She knew where she was going. Everything looked the same, despite her last visit being almost a year ago.

            It was strange being back in Gotham. There seemed to be an unnatural hush about the city, as if something had happened and its citizens were waiting in fear. There were fewer pedestrians on the street, it seemed. Businesses closed early into the evening. Police cruisers patrolled around almost every block. What had happened, she wasn’t sure, but she knew the new atmosphere made her uneasy. She reached the flat and knocked weakly at the door. She was exhausted.

            Harvey opened the door, looking as tired and worn as ever. His eyes took a moment to take her in before his whole demeanor lifted.

            “Harley?”

            She nodded, managing a faint smile.

            “Oh, my God, Harley. I thought you were dead.” He pulled her into a bruising hug and she could smell his familiar scent of leather and spearmint. She sighed, relieved. For the first time in a long time, she felt safe.


	2. Her Hand Alone

“Where’d you go?” Harvey asked, popping the top off of a beer.

          Harley pursed her lips. “Away.”

          “You don’t want to tell me?”

          “In case I need to run again.”

          Harvey looked puzzled and hurt. “What’d you run from? You just disappeared. No letters, no phone calls, nothing.”

          It wasn’t the first time that Harley considered this. Her disappearance must’ve weighed heavily on his heart. He must’ve assumed that she was at the bottom of the river.

          “I wasn’t safe here anymore. It wasn’t safe to contact you.”

          Harvey looked at her, eyes laced with sadness. “I guess I should be happy that you know when to leave. As much as I want to, I can’t always protect you.” He sat down beside her.

          “Remember Carl Pinkney?” Harley asked quietly.

          “Yeah, good kid. Shame.”

          “Nygma killed him.”

          “Yeah, you hear about that?”  
          “I was there.”

          Harvey stopped short. “What do you mean?”

          Memories flooded her mind. “Carl and I met at the New Year’s party, started dating. We were—We were at his apartment one night, and Nygma came to the door—“

          “You were there,” Harvey breathed. “You saw the whole thing.”

          “Carl sensed something, asked me to hide. Nygma found me, hit me over the head with a crowbar. As soon as the hospital released me, I left Gotham.”

          “You knew before any of us how insane he was.”

          Harley exhaled shakily. “The only thing that kept him from killing me was our friendship.”

          Harvey ran a hand through is graying hair. “Jesus Christ. Why would you ever come back?”

          Harley gave him a soft smile. “You’re the only family I’ve got, Harvey. You and Jonathan.”

          “Yeah, how is the kid?”

          “I don’t know. He’s missing. For almost a year now. Arkham can’t tell me anything about what happened to him.”

          “That’s why you’re back?”

          “I need to find him.”

          “Harley, you know he might be…”

          “Dead? Yes, he most likely is. But he might still be out there, somewhere.” She didn’t mention the antidote, the file she had stolen from Nygma’s cabinet, the chance of curing Jonathan of his insanity.  
          Harvey kissed her forehead. “I’m glad to see you. I missed you. The couch is yours for as long as you want it.” He stood, groaning, and headed toward his room. “Harley,” Harvey paused, as if he wasn’t sure what to say. “I—I love you.”

          “I love you too, Harvey.”

          It hurt her to lie to Harvey. She was still young to him, naïve, and innocent of Gotham’s sins. He wanted desperately to keep her that way, to keep her safe. It was true, she was here to find Jonathan, but he wasn’t the only reason she returned to Gotham. She was here to find someone else. She was here to find the man who had ruined her life, who had taken away her closest friend, who had killed the man she loved.

          Edward Nygma was going to die by her hand, and her hand alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!


	3. Forcing Harvey's Hand

Harley followed Harvey up the stairs to the detective’s landing, and plopped down into his desk chair before he could. Harvey, however, didn’t stop, instead heading towards the captain’s office.

          “That’s not my chair anymore, partner. I don’t even know who uses it now, so you better get out of it before they come back,” Harvey chuckled, holding the office door open for her.

          “You use Barnes’ office?”

          Harvey followed her in and sat down. “I keep forgetting how long you’ve been gone. I am the captain now.” Harley raised her eyebrows. “Yeah, I know. Barnes is in Arkham now, poor guy.”

          “Wow.”

          Harvey nodded. “Yeah, you missed the Tetch outbreak, we’re still recovering from that. Half our police force was infected.” News of the virus had reached far and wide, even Harley had heard of it.

          “Harvey, where can I find Cobblepot?”

          His brow instantly furrowed. “What do you need with him?”

          “If Jonathan is alive in Gotham, Cobblepot seems like the man to go to about it. He has connections all over the city, and might have even met Jonathan in Arkham.”

          “That’s a bad idea, Harley. Cobblepot’s been pretty unstable for a while, and he doesn’t have nearly as much power or influence that he once had. Please, this isn’t going to end well, and I can’t see you hurt.”

          “It’s still the best place to start.”

          Harvey exhaled slowly, trying to calm himself. Harley had seen her father do the same thing when he was frustrated with her. “At least let me look into police records first, maybe send a uni over to Arkham.”

          “I have to do this alone, Harvey.”

          Harvey looked at her for a long moment. She could only imagine what he was feeling. She was forcing his hand, and despite his love for her, it was not something he appreciated from anyone. She looked back into his tired eyes, his graying hair, and aging face. He was the only family she had left anymore. She hated herself for doing this. “Harvey, please.”

          His frown deepened. “Fine. But you come to me right after and tell me what happened.”

         


End file.
